Stitched sewing organisers

Here is a collage of the nine projects completed from the book by Aneela Hoey in 2017. 

As I am away for two weeks in February I need to get ahead. 

APQ UFO challenge 2018

The challenge has started at http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/how-to-quilt/finishing/2018-ufo-challenge My list is written and is shorter than 2017, in that all of my cross stitch UFOs have also been added to the list and my oldest UFO is from 2010. With a bit of application, I could finish most of them by the end of 2018.

Here's my list with photos where possible. I am going to try and photograph all of them over during December.

1. Jan Krentz star from 2010

2. TQS BOM Sedona Star from Jan 2012

3. Lion from 2017
4. Sweet tea and green beans from 2014. Top is pieced and ready to be quilted.

5. Milky Way quilt from January 2017 - again top is pieced and ready to quilt

6. Tula Pink butterfly from October 2017. I need to move a few blocks and then quilt it.

7. Christmas on Gingerbread Lane

8. Christmas Celebration Sampler. I have restarted this one and I am working on it this month as an advent project

9. It's a small world from 2016 2/3 pieced

10. Pretty London

11 Hugs cushion

12. Retreat quilt from January 2017 - two blocks left to quilt.

Christmas Celebration Sampler

I planned to work on this project for an hour each day in December. I made considerable progress and got to the top border. However the more I stitched, the more I became convinced that the fabric was too see through and despite the hours already invested, it hit the bin a week ago. I ordered the even weave in the colour gingerbread from The Makery. The fabric arrived today and I have made some progress and I love the project.

Not bad progress for a few hours. I hope to have the internal frames and numbers done by next week. Then I can start on the fancy border. I am nervous until I get all of the sides joined up as I worry that I will be half a stitch awry. A great advent project. I doubt that I will finish it this year, but my cross stitch UFOs have reduced over 2017 so progress to a finished project will be satisfying.

First day of advent

I haven't bought an advent calendar for myself this year but I have reused an old calendar to make a yarn advent calendar for myself. I am going to use the yarn to knit another pair of Yule Ball socks, which are my own design.

My advent plans are to do something Christmassy every day, cross stitch on my Christmas Celebration Sampler for an hour and knit on my Yule Ball socks every day.

I had done very little on the sampler before today and I am worried that the aida is a bit transparent. I am going to plod on though and try and get the dividers and letters done this week. Then I will start on one of the backs and its section of frame.